Masquerade
by immaculatemoonlight
Summary: Chat Noir is on to Ladybug's secret identity. He wants to know who the girl behind the mask is, and will do everything in his power to figure her out. Marinette has begun to finally talk to Adrien. He has begun to protect her in school and out of school. As her crush for him develops, she begins to fall for Chat Noir at the same time.
1. Chapter 1

The day had started out a beautiful one, a crystal clear sky shining above the citizens of Paris. The wind, however, began as a whispering in the air. The air seemed crisp and cool to Marinette as she made her way to school. She glanced up at the sky, quickening her pace as the clouds began to gather. She only had a little bit left to go, and the weather seemed so perfect when she left. She didn't bring an umbrella, which was her first mistake. Her second mistake was that she was still staring up at the sky, and not ahead at the bustling Paris street.  
Marinette didn't see it coming; there was no way she could've been prepared. She was falling fast, the air's whispering turning into screaming. She didn't have enough time to catch herself, only frown miserably as she landed in a puddle on the sidewalk. She scrambled up, glancing around. Nobody seemed to have noticed that she fell, which made her a bit disappointed. She was just glad that she had an extra pair of pants in her locker; as a klutz, she never knew when she would need to change. She just hoped that Chloe didn't see her – or worse, Adrien!  
She walked faster, her heart racing by the time she was in front of the school. She would be fine if Alya saw her. Maybe some of her other classmates... But she couldn't handle Chloe putting her down this morning, or let Adrien see her. If Adrien saw her, she would probably die of embarrassment...  
It was lucky enough that nobody saw her fall, but she didn't think that her luck would hold up for much longer. Especially since Adrien and Nino were standing outside of the building. Marinette sighed, trying to think of ways to avoid Adrien. He was right in front of the school... She was usually quick to find a solution, especially when she became her alter ego Ladybug, but when it came to Adrien her mind just... Blanked. She had no solutions. The only solution for her was to take a klutzy walk of shame right past him.  
Maybe he wouldn't notice her? It was an optimistic thought, but very unlikely. A few months ago, before she became class president and won his fathers hat contest, he wouldn't have so much as glanced her way. Now he said hi to her, and had tried to start conversations. Unfortunately, every time she tried to talk to him, she always stuttered or she couldn't talk at all.  
Marinette made her way up the school steps, watching Adrien and Nino out of the corner of her eye. They seemed deep in conversation and they probably wouldn't glance at her any time soon... She walked faster, almost running inside of the school. That was when the snickering began.  
"What happened, Marinette? Wearing dirty pants to school? Did you have an accident on the way to school?" Chloe's laughter turned into cackling. Adrien had to be staring by now.  
"No," she mumbled. "I slipped on the way here."  
"Right, of course you slipped." Chloe rolled her eyes.  
"Excuse me," Marinette sighed. "I need to go change..."  
"I don't think there are any pants in the garbage, but knock yourself out." Chloe cackled, stepping out of her way. Marinette resumed her rush into the school, not noticing Chloe's foot in front of her. She tripped for the second time this morning, barely throwing her hands out in front of her.  
"Oh my god, Marinette! These shoes were so expensive! I can't believe you just ruined them!" Chloe whined.  
"Marinette, are you okay?" Adrien asked, sounding a bit aggravated.  
"I'm fine," she stood up. "Just fine. I'm sorry about your shoes Chloe..." She looked down. Chloe's shoes looked perfectly fine...  
"Don't talk to her, Adrien," Chloe rolled her eyes. "She just ruined my favorite pair of shoes."  
"Chlo, your shoes are fine," Adrien snapped, stepping over to Marinette. "Let me walk you inside."  
Marinette nodded, biting her lip. She just knew that something would go wrong today. She knew it would turn out like this. Beautiful days always seemed to have this kind of an impact on her.  
Marinette and Adrien walked side by side, something they had done only a few times before as Marinette and Adrien. They didn't talk, mostly due to the negative energy surrounding them. Marinette assumed his morning hadn't been so great, so she didn't push it. When they reached her locker, she twisted the lock until it opened. She grabbed her spare pair of pants, and turned to Adrien.  
"U-um... T-thank you for walking with me... I should... Go change..." God she was so awkward around him...  
Adrien nodded. "I'm sorry about what Chloe did... That wasn't right..."  
She shrugged, glancing at him. "It's fine. Knowing me I'd probably trip regardless of her foot being there..."  
Adrien gave her a small smile. "Do you want me to wait for you while you change?"  
"N-no it's fine. I'll just see you in class."  
He nodded. "Alright."  
"Um... A-Adrien? Are you alright?"  
"What do you mean?" He raised an eyebrow.  
"Just... You seem so upset... Is there anything bothering you?"  
"No, Mari, I'm fine. I just hate seeing someone get pushed around so often..."  
Mari. He nicknamed her! She blushed, glancing at him again. "It's fine. I'm used to this..."  
"You shouldn't be," Adrien shook his head. "Look, we don't have long before class starts and you shouldn't be late. I'll see you in a bit."

Adrien walked to class, thinking about Marinette. Ever since his lady had asked him to protect her, he had a sort of soft spot for her. She was really sweet and cheerful around Chat Noir and everyone else in their class, but never around him. He couldn't help but think that it was because he never really tried to be friends with her. And maybe that was true. But she was always so awkward and distant around him... And today, when Chloe tripped her... That was it for him.  
Marinette was too nice to be treated like that on a daily basis. She was nice, smart, and funny... She didn't deserve this constant abuse from Chloe. He always tolerated it because his father demanded that it was important for him to make business connections. But that was before Chloe became infatuated with him. Now everyone who even looked at him became Chloe's victims. He was done with it. 


	2. Chapter 2

"Dang girl, you have not had a good day." Alya shook her head, taking a bite out of her sandwich. Marinette knew she would be good moral support after the day she'd had. Alya was especially enthusiastic about Adrien, but Marinette wasn't so sure how she felt. On one hand, it was really sweet of him... But on the other hand, he seemed really upset. She sighed, glancing at her phone. She had his number. It would be so easy for her to send him a message...

"Should I... I don't know, send him a text to thank him?" Marinette bit her lip. "I don't think I should. I mean... What if we start talking, and then in person we talk more? I mean, of course I want to talk to him, but today is not a good day for me to start talking to Adrien..." She rambled, earning an eye roll from Alya.

"Mar, trust me. You either text him right now, or you never will. You've had his number for so long!" She gave Marinette a supportive smile, before returning to her lunch.

Marinette didn't eat lunch that day. She already felt sick. Especially after dealing which Chloe all morning. It didn't get better when she went to lunch. In fact, it didn't get better at all. Chloe backed down only when Adrien told her to, or when Alya went into protective best friend mode. She couldn't help but think that if Chloe knew that she was Ladybug, she would either hate her more (along with Ladybug) or she would stop hating her altogether. Marinette **_couldn't_** reveal her identity to anyone. She had trouble thinking about revealing herself to Chat, who was her best friend and partner in crime fighting.

Marinette sighed, gingerly picking her phone up. She unlocked it, and went into her contacts. Adrien... Should she really text him? She sighed, pressing on the message icon.

'Hi, Adrien, it's Marinette. I just wanted to thank you for defending me all day...'

She hit send, her heart pounding. She turned to Alya.

"There," she pursed her lips. "I did it. I messaged him."

"Good," Alya grinned. "I'm proud of you!"

Marinette shrugged, glancing at her phone. He hadn't messaged her back yet, but of course he hadn't. She had just sent the message, and there was no use in overthinking everything when... When her phone buzzed.

When Adrien Agreste replied to her message.

She turned to Alya, eyes wide. "He replied to me..." She squeaked.

Alya giggled. "Oh girl, read what he said! You can fill me in later. And remind me to thank your mom for the sandwich." Marinette laughed, and grabbed her phone.

'No problemo, Mari. Are you feeling any better?'

She smiled. This is why she liked Adrien. He was sweet, and caring, and wonderful. She more than liked him. He was perfect for her, even if she could barely talk to him or be around him. The feelings were still there; honestly, she was surprised he hasn't figured out that she had a crush on him. Or if he did, he showed no indication of knowing.

'I'm feeling a bit better; it's been a stressful day.'

She locked her phone and turned to Alya. "Adrien is so sweet," she said dreamily, resting her head on her hands.

The akuma attacked at night. Chat Noir was out patrolling the city when it happened. It was usually at night when he was out and about, when he couldn't sleep or when he was having a bad night. Tonight was a night where he couldn't sleep. As Adrien, he had constant thoughts of Marinette and Ladybug. Two girls so similar and yet so different. Whenever he tried to sleep, guilt overwhelmed him. His lady was perfect for him, and he wanted to steal her heart. He wanted to know who she really was... But would he like who she was under the mask? And sweet Marinette... He liked her, he did, he just couldn't see himself with her... Mostly because of his lady.

These thoughts ran through his head all day and all night, like they had for two months now. Ladybug seemed to notice that he was off, because she commented on it a lot. But he was the same. He was always the same. He was just so damn tired of fighting for Ladybug when she constantly told him that they would only ever be friends. And he loved being friends with her, of course he did, but he wanted so much more. She was all he had. She made the dreams stop. She made him feel loved, something which was hard to do. With his father being the way he was and his house not exactly a home, it was hard for him to feel loved. Ladybug came into his life and treated him like an equal. He didn't care that she didn't know his real identity, and neither did she.

Chat stood perched on a building, looking out at the city. An overwhelming feeling that something bad was going to happen crept over him, so he scanned the streets for any suspicious activity. There wasn't any. It was late, and barely anyone was out. He sighed, sitting down. The feeling didn't go away, his tension growing. This was the worst part, waiting for the fight.

It was then that the akuma attacked. It happened below him, rattling the entire building. He leapt off the building, landing on the ground in a crouch. He scanned the ally when he saw him. It was a civilian. He must've been in his early twenties; he looked to old, even in his akuma form, to be a teenager. Chat smiled. This was exactly what he needed.

Chat leapt at him, claws extended.

 **Thank you all so much for reading this story! Please remember to review; reviews are my fuel!**


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Marinette noticed was that Adrien looked exhausted. She was pretty tired, but then again she was always tired on weekdays. Adrien looked like it had been a long time since he had slept, which made her frown. He was sitting alone on the steps in front of their school, eyes closed, and his head resting on his hands. She didn't want to disturb him. Oh god, that was the last thing she wanted to do. But he just seemed so... Not okay. He didn't seem okay at all. He seemed tired and hurt and... And she couldn't tell what else. Marinette bit her lip, and strode to him. She mustered up as much confidence as she could as she approached him. She stood in front of him for a minute, before sitting down next to him.

"I'm not really in the mood to talk to anyone, Mari," Adrien grumbled, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm not here to talk to you. You looked upset and tired, so I thought I would keep you company..." She hesitated. "Nobody should be alone... If you want me to go, I could."

His eyes widened, and he turned to look at her. "Don't go."

She nodded, looking across the street at the city. She tried to think of anything but the boy next to her. She tried to think of being Ladybug and Hawkmoth... Anything but Adrien. If Ladybug couldn't be swayed by boys, why could she? She was pulled from her thoughts when Adrien laid his head on her shoulder. Her eyes widened as she looked at him, heart racing.

"Adrien...? What're you doing?" Marinette asked softly, staying as still as possible.

"I'm tired," he mumbled. "Can I stay like this? Just for a minute?"

"U-um..." She hesitated. "Sure. But until class starts." He mumbled something that she couldn't quite make sense of. She looked at him for a second, before looking back at the city.

"Marinette?" Marinette was pulled from her thoughts once again. Alya sat down besides her. "Marinette, that's Adrien sleeping on your shoulder..."

"Yeah," she nodded once, trying to avoid moving Adrien.

"Oh, girl, what in the world happened?" Alya grinned. "You? And Adrien?"

"I don't know. I just sat down, and then he fell asleep."

"On your shoulder?!" The girl giggled. "Better hope Chloe doesn't see you."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "I can't avoid her. She'll be here soon, and then she'll be the one that Adrien is sleeping on."

"Oh, Mari..." Alya shook her head. "I won't let that happen."

"What's your plan?" She looked at her, eyes wide.

"I don't necessary have one yet, but I think I have a few minutes to think one up." The girl grinned.

"No, Alya. You don't. Chloe's limo is pulling up right now."

"Oh my god," Alya's grin fell from her face. "Oh my god get ready for super angry and jealous Chloe."

Marinette groaned, watching Chloe throw the limo door open and leap out of the car. She stomped towards them, anger contorting her face. As she approached, she crossed her arms and assessed the situation.

"Maritrash, what're you doing with my boyfriend?" Chloe growled.

"Your boyfriend?" Alya laughed. "I don't think so."

"He's tired and he fell asleep on my shoulder. I'm being a good friend and helping him get some rest," Marinette protested. "And my name is _Marinette_ , not _Maritrash_."

"I don't really care about your name. I can call you whatever the hell I want to call you. You're lucky I'm feeling super nice today, otherwise I would slap your face off in front of everyone. So here's some advice, bitch," Chloe smirked. "Trade me spots and I won't hurt you."

* * *

Adrien hated liars. He also hated bullies. He only put up with Chloe because his father had made him, and he had known her for quite a long time... but calling Marinette a bitch and changing her name like that? It had gone too far. Adrien was only have asleep, trying to regain energy. He was listening the entire time, and now he was furious. He gently pulled his head off of Marinette's shoulder, and opened his eyes. He blinked a few times to get used to the light, before looking around. He turned to Chloe, feigning confusion.

"What's going on, Chlo?"

Chloe looked relieved for a brief second, before she put on an almost convincing miserable face. "Oh, Adrien... They were being so mean to me..." She sniffled.

He glanced at Marinette and Alya. "I'm sorry Chlo..."

Chloe sniffed again. "Come with me. You can take a longer nap."

"No, I'm sorry but I can't do that."

She stiffened. She wasn't used to rejection. "What? Why not?"

"Because you're a liar. You lie, you manipulate, you're insensitive... I don't know about you anymore. And I'm not your boyfriend. I never have been. You need to stop telling people that I am."

"B-but Adrien..." Chloe frowned. "I'll... I'll tell my father about this. He's the mayor, you know..."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "He's the mayor and you'll have him make sure that this will happen or that will happen. Blah blah blah. I've heard it all before, Chloe. You need to stop threatening people, or you'll never have friends."

"Whatever," Chloe spun on her heel, but not before giving Marinette one last dirty look. She stomped off, probably to make Sabrina's day a bit worse.

Adrien turned to Marinette, frowning. "I'm so sorry about her. God, she's so pretentious. It's just... She's a lot like you. You like the same music, have some of the same hobbies... But people like you more, and she doesn't think you're very nice to her..."

Marinette looked away from him. "I didn't know she felt like that..."

"You'd be surprised at how sensitive Chloe really is."

* * *

Adrien was glad that he didn't have to model after school. He had his own plans; to go see Marinette, to see her blush and her smile... He had offered her a ride home, but she turned him down. He didn't mind though. He would meet with her at her bakery, surprise her with flowers or something... He didn't quite know yet. All he knew was that he wanted to see her, and to make her day better. Chloe had been especially harsh after that morning, but Adrien made sure that he was by Marinette's side all day. Something inside of him was drawn to her. He hadn't noticed it before; she had always been the girl who sat behind him... the girl who had a _huge_ crush on him. He hadn't really seen it before, but now... Now he noticed everything about her.

Something about her was too familiar... It might be those crystal blue eyes, seemingly shy. He had seen eyes exactly like that before, but much more confident and knowing. The eyes of his best friend... the eyes of his lady. Could it be that his lady and shy Marinette are the same person? Could it have been her sitting right behind him this entire time? His heart raced as his limo turned onto the street that Marinette's bakery was located on. How would he approach her? How would he figure out if she really was his Ladybug? Could he reveal his secret to her? Or could he meet her as Chat Noir and figure her out?

He knew for sure that the first thing he had to do was befriend her as Adrien... but that night, Chat would come out to play.


	4. Chapter 4

Adrien had never been inside of the bakery. He had only ordered from here once or twice, and either Natalie picked it up or it was delivered. He couldn't contain his excitement; he loved when he had a chance to do the things that he wanted to do, especially when it came to food. He stood outside of the large wooden door, trying to fathom what the inside could possibly look like. Would Marinette be down in the bakery? Or would she be upstairs? Would he have to meet her parents and explain to them the reason that he was there? How was this going to work?

He pushed the door open, admiring the sound that the bell made. He walked inside of the bakery, the smell overwhelming him. His sneakers squeaked on the floor, but he didn't mind. This place was magical… This place was _amazing_. He had wondered what it was like to feel so at home for _so long_ … and now he was in a place that was just so homey and nice… Marinette was _so_ lucky. She had everything he wanted. She had everything he needed. He wasn't jealous at all; he was happy for her. He had come to terms with his home life and his father. It was fine for him, but it made him feel so happy because someone so great had a loving family.

"I'll be right with you!" A voice called from a back room. Adrien didn't mind waiting. He was just enjoying this new experience. He probably looked pretty dumb, standing in the middle of a bakery with a big, goofy grin on his face. The best part of it all? Adrien didn't care! For the first time in a long time, he didn't care about his appearance, or about how he appeared to other people, or if he was liked. In that moment, the only thing that troubled him was that he didn't have anyone to share it with.

Until a great pair of legs and a giant stack of boxes came waltzing – or stumbling – into the room. Adrien stared for a moment, before he regained some composure. Adjusting his shirt, he took a step forward.

"Here, let me help you," he said, grabbing a few boxes.

"Thanks. Just put them on that counter over there."

Adrien did as he was told, watching the girl set her stack of boxes down next to his. She turned around, a big smile on his face. The smile was replaced by a look of shock, and then a look of horror as she realized who he was. Adrien's sense of home was ripped from him as he realized that he _didn't belong_. He stared down at his shoes, before looking back up at the tiny girl in front of him. He smiled widely; he was a great actor.

"Hey Mari!" He said, voice as charming as ever.

"A-Adrien! W-what're you d-doing here?" She stuttered, stepping away from him. And there it was. The distance between them widening. She would never like him. They could never be friends. She was so disgusted by him. Adrien swallowed the lump in his throat,

"I just came by to say hi, and to…" he paused. Why _was_ he here? "To see you."

"M-me?" Her eyes widened. "Oh. Why?"

"Because I wanted to… get you to recommend something to me. Like… from your bakery… I'm… trying to figure out what I like, so I can have my dad order it for my next fashion thing…" So much for confident Adrien swooping in and getting the girl. If she reacted to him like this, he wondered how she would react to Chat Noir sneaking onto her rooftop terrace…

"Oh! I see! Well, what kind of sweets do you like? Cakes? Cookies? What flavors do you like? We make really good sweets too, if you're into things like that. And different types of bread. I don't know, I'd recommend everything. Everything is really good… it really just depends on you."

Adrien nodded, looking around. "I guess just give me some of those, and those…" He pointed to random items. He didn't know what he was getting, he just wanted to get out of there. It was a mistake coming to see her.

She nodded. "Um, your total is-"

"Here," he handed her the card his father gave him.

She swiped the card, blushing slightly. "Okay. Here's your treats. I hope you enjoy them…" she smiled.

Adrien smiled back. "I… I'll see you in class, Marinette." It had been a while since he had called her Marinette. He usually shortened her name in an effort to see if she felt anything for him. Did her heart call out to him like his did for her? Did she know who he _really_ was? Because he _knew_ that this was his Lady. His ladybug. There was no denying it.

"O-okay, Adrien." She didn't look at him, just fiddled with something behind the counter.

Marinette blew it. She knew she did the tiny fraction of a second that Adrien looked hurt. But there was no going back from that. It was best that she loved him from afar. It was best that they didn't become friends… or more. Especially since she was Ladybug. She'd be better off dating _Chat Noir_ as Ladybug. Adrien Agreste was unreachable, and that was something she needed to remember. He didn't come here to see her, he came to get her recommendation.

She tried to fight the urge to run after him, she really did… but her legs moved before her head. She was running after him before she realized it. She had to save whatever this was between them. She had to save this friendship.

"Adrien!" She called out, squinting in the sunlight. He turned to look at her, a troubled expression on his face.

"Mari?" He asked, confused. He began walking back towards her.

"Come back inside," she hesitated. "There's something we should talk about."

He nodded, following her back into the bakery. Once the door was shut, he cocked an eyebrow.

"Look, Adrien… I want to be friends with you. I really, really do… but I just… it's hard because _everyone_ likes you. And they make it difficult to get to know you and be around you. I either hear things about you, or Chloe does things… and I really, really want to be friends with you…"

"I get it," he muttered, a saddened expression on his face. "Chloe makes it like that with everyone. I like you, Marinette, but being friends with me comes with a cost that you shouldn't have to pay. You're too nice to have to deal with Chloe or with anything that comes with being friends with me. I mean, if you want… we don't have to be friends in public. We can text, or hangout when people aren't around…"

"Let's just start by texting sometimes, Adrien…" Oh god, what was she doing. She blew it again. Here was her chance to say 'hey Adrien, I kind of really like you a lot and we should be more than friends'.

"Texting. That's fine."

* * *

Chat Noir was supposed to be patrolling. His Lady had told him that that was what she needed him to do that night… but he couldn't get those glorious blue eyes out of his head, and the softness of her voice when she told him how hard it would be for them to be friends. It crushed him; this girl that he tried so hard to be friends with basically rejected him. He jumped down from the rooftop, and swung himself onto the terrace. This terrace led to Marinette's bedroom. He landed with a thud, and leaned against the railing. Now he would wait.

Marinette rushed out onto the balcony, eyes wide and carrying a… stick. Was she going to use that to defend herself? Chat let out a chuckle. Marinette relaxed a bit when she saw him, letting the stick fall to the ground. It was for the best; he wasn't too sure how well she could protect herself against anyone malevolent with a _stick_.

"Silly kitty, you gave me a heart attack," she frowned, placing her hand on her hip. _This is the Ladybug he knew._

"How pawful!" He chuckled. "I'm sorry, princess."

"What're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be patrolling?" She paused. "Or something…?"

 _Nice save, Ladybug._ "I'm patrolling, but I thought I'd stop by and have a… Chat."

She rolled her eyes. "Chat Noir, your jokes are just too much."

"Hey, my puns are carefully thought out and executed with pawfect timing."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Why are you here, exactly?"

"My princess, I couldn't stop thinking about you." Chat smirked.

"Why?" Her eyes widened, a large blush spreading across her face.

"Because you seem to understand me… I mean… I'm in love with Ladybug, and she'll never see me for who I truly am… I sense that you feel that way about someone too…" He was hopeful. Maybe he would be right…

Her face fell. "I messed up with him. I just… I wish that I could tell him how I feel… but every time I talk to him I just seem to mess everything up…"

"Maybe he likes you back, and you don't know because you haven't told him?" Chat suggested, sauntering over to her. "It's better than openly knowing that the person you love has feelings for someone else, and you have to hear about how great they are day after day. It's better than being their best friend and knowing that that's all you'll ever be to that person. You have a chance, Marinette. You haven't messed anything up. You just need to take your chance…"

"How can I take my chance when I can barely talk to the guy? He's so cool, and nice… I just… I've liked him all year, and he only notices me because we have mutual friends and I don't know… He's so great, but I hurt his feelings today. I didn't mean to… it just happened." She vented. "He's never going to see me the way that I want him to see me. I'm always going to just be shy, awkward Marinette."

"That's not all that you are. You're so much more than that, Marinette. You're a great girl. You're beautiful, smart… Anybody would be lucky to be with you. Whoever this guy is… doesn't know what he's missing out on."

"And Ladybug obviously doesn't know who she's missing out on…" She said, eyebrows furrowing slightly. _She does a good job of hiding the fact that she's Ladybug…_

"Can I come visit you tomorrow? I have something for you… and I should get back to patrolling so that Ladybug won't be upset with me."

"Sure," she nodded, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, princess…" He reached for her hand and squeezed it.

 **I would like to thank everyone for even reading this story. I have so much planned, I just have to set everything in motion. Please favorite and read a review, your support and commentary mean a lot to me. You can find me on tumblr under the same username that I write under. (immaculatemoonlight)**


	5. Chapter 5

If there was one thing Marinette could say about Chat Noir, it was that he was smug. Chat was smug, and he would do anything to get what he wanted. She knew that from how he persistently went after her alter ego, Ladybug. Lately, however, he wasn't flirting with Ladybug at all. He wasn't all over her or _anything_. It wasn't like him… but with Marinette, he had his charm on full blast. It confused her more than anything; at first she thought that Chat knew who she was, but now she wasn't so sure. He still made hints that he knew who she was, but Marinette knew her secret was protected. Chat couldn't have figured it out. He couldn't know. But then again, he could know everything. He _was_ a clever kitty, after all. And _Adrien_! He had talked to her often throughout that week, through texting and at school. While she still had a crush on him, her heart was being tugged in two directions. Chat and Adrien…

Her phone buzzed, and Marinette glanced at it. It was Adrien texting… _of course_ it was Adrien. He was constantly trying to get to know her, but Marinette didn't know if she could do this. She wanted to be with Adrien more than anything, of course she did, but maybe it was better that she didn't pursue a relationship with him. She couldn't talk to him like she could talk to Chat Noir. Chat Noir understood her, Chat Noir also had a secret… Adrien was just… perfect. He was too perfect, and she couldn't compare to him. If they dated, Marinette knew that she would have to deal with constant criticism. Especially when it came to the media. She also knew that she was being unfair and just plain moody. Marinette wanted to fall in love, but she didn't know which boy to fall for… or which boy would catch her… She needed to find out who Chat was. She was sure that would solve her problem. If she knew who he _really_ was, she could figure out what direction to go in.

 ** _I need to see you._** The message said, making Marinette sigh. She couldn't see him today. She couldn't handle it. He made her feel like her head was going to explode. Their hands brushed together once, and it made her feel like she was losing her mind. She wanted to be with him, but he made her crazy…

 ** _I can't do anything today. Super busy with the bakery and stuff. Sorry._** She replied, guilt flooding through her.

 ** _I could help._** He texted back immediately.

 ** _That's not necessary. I'm fine. I can see you tomorrow or something… why do you need to see me?_**

 ** _I have a surprise for you :3_**

She smiled at the cat face, thinking of Chat Noir. She was so comfortable around him. He was her best friend… but Chat didn't know that she was Ladybug. He didn't know how she felt about him. Would he hate her for not telling him sooner? How would he feel?

"What's wrong, Marinette? Chat got your tongue?" A small giggle came from beside her, pulling her out of her thoughts. Marinette looked at Tikki, and chuckled.

"Oh, Tikki… which boy do I choose?" She sighed.

"That's what you're worried about? Mari, you're unbelievably strong. Whichever boy you choose will be the right boy. You always make the right decision in the end… Maybe you shouldn't worry about choosing."

"Right. I have to do my homework and then I have to save the world as Ladybug…" Marinette sighed. "I just wish I had some more time for love…"

"That's not what I meant, Mari… I just meant that… maybe things will work itself out… why don't you just think of things you like about both boys?" Tikki suggested, a wide smile on her face. Marinette nodded, slouching in her chair. She was grateful for the quiet of her room, and for Tikki's company. She had plenty of time to think…

Adrien, the boy who was full of bright light. The boy who excelled in everything he did… but to him, Marinette was just an invisible girl… she was an invisible girl who falls for boys that shine like stars. Chat and Adrien were both stars, one a hero and one just a normal, beautiful boy. Chat was charming, kind… he was her best friend, even if he didn't know that. She would be his if he asked. If he was serious about her, and didn't flirt around… she would be his… Even though she had wanted to be with Adrien for so long, but it seemed like that was another lifetime ago. She had a very big crush on him, but she was only a little bug and he was a garden. Adrien Agreste was unreachable, and she had finally come to terms with that.

A hand on her shoulder threw her out of her thoughts, causing her to leap from her chair, hit her knee on her desk, and almost fall onto her butt. She glared up at her intruder, softening only a bit when she saw that it was her silly cat. She rolled her eyes, ignoring the stinging pain in her knee.

"What are you doing?!" She snapped, folding her arms over her chest.

"Marinette, I called your name like a billion times. You just stared at the wall with this weird expression…" He looked around her room. "You're into this guy?" He chuckled.

Marinette blushed. "N-no! I was just… ah… never mind. Why are you here, silly kitty?"

"I wanted to talk to you…" He looked away from her.

"So talk… Is this important? What's going on?"

"I just wanted to drop in and tell you that I can't see you for a few days."

"What? Why?" She frowned.

"Because I need to… do a few things. I just… It isn't safe for me to be seeing you right now."

Her face fell. She didn't know anything about this… "Oh." She said simply. "Okay."

"I'll be back soon enough, princess." He gave her a small smile, and took a step towards her. "I promise." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and was gone.

* * *

The day that Chloe had bumped into Chat Noir had been one of the worst days of her life. Adrien hadn't spoken to her in a while, which was her fault… but she still missed him. They _had_ grown up together. She was moping around Paris thinking of ways to fix this, when the black cat approached her. He charmed her with his kind smile and his soft words. He made sure she got home safe, not that there was anyone to come home to, and even came inside to see her for a while.

This had continued on for a few days. She listened to him talk about his home life, about Marinette and about Ladybug. She had felt a connection to him. She had felt something. And it made her feel alive. Chloe _knew_ that she could be a nicer person. She knew that people could like who she really was… but it was hard for her. It was easier to be hated than to be loved, and it was much too late for her redemption. Nobody liked her anyways, and it wasn't like she could just take back everything she had done.

No, happiness had come to her in the form of a leather clad gentle-cat, who made stupid jokes and who made her laugh. She had realized, in that small amount of time, that she didn't really like Adrien Agreste. She had realized that she could find someone else… like Kim or someone in their class. Or Chat Noir… but Chat, like Adrien, was enamored by Marinette. Chloe didn't hate Marinette, not at all… in fact, she wanted to be friends (although it was much too late for that to happen). She was just tired of _everyone_ picking Marinette over her. She was so tired of someone she cared about choosing a stranger over someone they knew their entire life.

She wouldn't lose this happiness… which is why she had to do it. It was why she had written Chat Noir an anonymous letter describing awful things… things she would do to Marinette if he didn't stop seeing her.


	6. Chapter 6

Running into Chloe had been a mistake; she had looked very upset, and all he wanted to do was make her day a bit better. It had gone too far, especially now that Chat was seeing her frequently. He should've stopped it when he had a chance. He shouldn't have ever spoken to her. Now she was obsessed, with him and with Marinette. He had no doubt it was her who sent him that letter. Hawkmoth had no idea what he was doing in his personal life; as far as he knew, Hawkmoth could only view his akuma victims.

 _Chat Noir,_

 _I feel it. Deep in my chest. My_ soul _. Hateful and dark. No, this is the true definition of hate. I'm an entity in the form of a human; the devil disguised like an angel. In your eyes I see the darkness. Pitch black. Eyes that could strike fear into the devil himself. Your eyes pierce my chest and feed off of my sins. Your eyes, where I can see what no human should never hope to see. In your eyes, I see a mirror; a reflection of my broken self. I see suffering and hurt. I see everything and nothing in your eyes._

 _To the city, you are justice and a hero. I realize, though, that you are just like me. You are something darker, lonelier… You don't feel properly. You don't have any boundaries. Which is why being a hero is perfect for you; you get to pretend to be one of the good guys, when you know that deep down you are something much darker. My white wings are dirty, my halo is cracked… the more people attack me or hate me, the more evil and hating I become._

 _No. I didn't wish to become like this. I'm just a shell of who I want to be and who I could be. But I have seen too much to become the person everyone wants me to be. You see, my dear Chat, when you look long into the abyss of darkness, the abyss looks into you. It changes you and twists you. The abyss represents the darkness in my life. I believe that you can save me from myself. You can save me from the feelings I feel._

The letter went on to more morbid things. Things that struck fear into his heart. That's why he had to say goodbye to Marinette. He needed to help Chloe before she could really do something to herself or to Marinette. Chat and Adrien. Both of them… and god how he wanted to be with Marinette instead. He couldn't take a chance with Chloe. Not until he knew that she was mentally stable… Unless… she was akumatized?

* * *

"Are you okay, Marinette? You've been in a funk all day." Alya questioned, sounding concerned.

"I'm okay," Marinette nodded, a smile plastered across her face. It's what she'd been saying to her parents and Alya all weekend. It was a lot easier, rather than explaining how painful it was for her already. To tell them would be to give away her secret.

Chat showed up once to meet Ladybug while patrolling, speaking of how there was too much history in the streets of Paris. He showed up and talked about Chloe, about the letter he received, and about how he had met someone. And what was she supposed to say, that she had fallen for her best friend? She was confused; things were going so great for them, but then he had to disappear for Chloe. And Adrien wouldn't even look at her. He only had eyes for Chloe. Marinette didn't quite understand how she managed to mess up literally everything good in her life so fast that it seemed like it happened in the blink of an eye. She had been in the sun for so long, that she wasn't surprised that it had begun to rain.

"Right," Alya rolled her eyes, gathering the leftovers from her lunch and placing it in a bag. She put the bag in her backpack, and focused on Marinette.

"What?" Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"Does this have anything to do with the fact that Adrien isn't talking to you today? Girl, I know you better than you think I do. You're my _best friend._ I know when something's going on. What's the situation?"

"I don't know what's going on with Adrien. I'm just tired." She answered truthfully. Tired of not knowing what was going on, tired of missing Chat and missing Adrien… She was tired of it all.

Alya sighed. "If you don't want to talk, then fine. I'm going to talk to Adrien and see what's going on. Maybe he won't lie to me." She snapped, standing up from the lunch table. Alya made her way to Adrien, a bit hurt. Why wasn't Marinette telling her things anymore? What was going on? Maybe Adrien held the key…

"Alya, hey!" Nino smiled up at her, before nudging Adrien. Adrien looked exhausted. He gave Alya a smile, before glancing at the blonde princess next to him.

"Adrien, can I talk to you?" She glanced at Chloe. " _Alone."_

Adrien nodded, untangling himself from Chloe. Alya led him a few steps away from the lunch tables, where no one would overhear them. She placed a hand on her hip and gave him one of her best intimidating stares.

"What's going on with Marinette?"

A guilty look flashed across his face, so fast that Alya barely caught it. "I don't know. Is she okay?"

"No. There's something going on with her. She's acting really weird and she's not telling me anything. Adrien, she tells me _everything._ "

"I don't know what to tell you, Alya. I don't know her that well." _Liar._

"She's like a zombie. She's just walking around, doesn't seem to be thinking about anything… she's so blank. If you ask her what's wrong, she responds with 'I'm alright, nothing's wrong'. It's depressing. I'm sure seeing you with Chloe isn't helping," Alya rambled. Her eyes widened when she realized what she was saying. She had almost told Adrien that Mari liked him. She basically did. Oh god, Marinette was going to murder her.

Adrien stared at the ground, chewing his lip. He sighed deeply, before glancing at Marinette. "I could… talk to her…"

"I don't know. I mean… Chloe would be mad. You two are dating now, right?"

"W-what? Us?" Adrien shook his head. "No! No, I just… Erm…"

"You're just dating and trying to keep it a secret?" Alya raised an eyebrow.

"No. It's more complicated than that. Things are complicated right now. I think… Chloe had a mental breakdown or something, and I'm just trying to be there for her. Don't tell her I told you that…"

"Whatever, Adrien. I'm just worried about Marinette. Could you just talk to her? Maybe she'll tell you something."

Adrien nodded. "Sure. Could you sit with Nino and Chloe and tell them I'll be right back?" Alya nodded, walking off.

Adrien looked at Marinette for a minute before beginning to walk to her. He caused this. This was _his_ fault. This was also Chloe's fault. She would _never_ go through with hurting Marinette. She wouldn't. And he knew that. He wouldn't hide from her anymore. He would protect her. He was done with Chloe… all he was doing was hurting himself and hurting Mari.

"Mari?" Adrien said gently, sitting down across from her.

She barely glanced at him. "What?"

"Are you okay? You look really upset…"

Marinette shrugged. "I don't know."

"What's wrong? What's going on with you?"

"I lost my best friend…" She mumbled running a hand through her bangs.

"Alya? She's still your friend…" His eyebrows furrowed. _Who did she mean?_

"I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about someone else. Someone Alya doesn't know about…" Marinette shook her head. "Forget it, Adrien. You wouldn't understand."

"I understand…" he sighed. "I'm sorry I haven't been talking to you much. I just… I went to the bakery to talk to you, not order any sweets. I just wanted to see you. Since then, I haven't been a very good friend. I'm really sorry."

Marinette shrugged. "It's fine. You're not who I was talking about, so if that's what you think…"

 _Actually it is me. Or rather, my alter ego…_ "Can I help in any way?"

"No. I'm fine." She smiled. "Nothing's wrong."

"Well… Um… I actually did need to talk to you about something…" He cleared his throat. "So, my dad is having a masquerade ball to promote his new fashion line, and I was told I could invite my class… I already told everyone about it, but I was waiting to invite you alone."

"Why did you want to invite me alone?" She said, a bit stunned.

"Because I wanted to invite you to come to the ball with me… as my date."


	7. Chapter 7

Tonight was the night. Marinette had spent all week sewing her dress, pouring her heart and soul into her work. She was ecstatic about the idea of the masquerade ball. Adrien had asked if she would attend… if she would be his _date._ She wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly at first, had asked him to elaborate with an apprehensive expression on her face. Adrien wanted to take her as his date? She had been surprised; he wanted to take her and not Chloe. This, of course, made Chloe furious, but Marinette didn't care. She didn't care about anything except for Adrien, and the ball. She had even stopped thinking about that stupid cat, who had stopped showing up most of the time. When he did show up, he was silent and refused to look at her… but she didn't care. She had Adrien.

Tonight was the night, and she only had a few hours to get ready. Her heart raced with excitement; she had always wanted to go to a masked ball. She had gained inspiration for her dress after seeing what other girls were wearing and watching movies like _A Cinderella Story._ Her dress was a long, strapless ball gown; the top of it was covered in intricate designs meant to look like peacock feathers. It trailed down one side of her dress, ending about mid-thigh. The rest of the dress was long, flowy and black. The back of it was laced like a corset. It had taken her a week of constant sewing, but she finally made the dress. She had made a golden mask to go with it, swirling patterns of green and blue drifting across it.

She was excited; there would be dancing, fashion, Adrien… It was everything she ever wanted and more. She, however, couldn't help but feel a bit sad. Her kitty wouldn't be there. She wouldn't get to dance with him. She wanted her best friend back. She wanted the boy she _loved_ back. It wasn't as if she was settling for Adrien; she did like Adrien… but Chat Noir was the boy she wanted to be with. And why him? It was a good question. Why him, over the boy with good grades, warm smile and flawless manners? Why did she fall in love with _him_ , the boy with the dangerous atmosphere, mysterious smirks, flirtatious winks and charming puns? Perhaps it was because Chat challenged her. She didn't think when she was around him, she just felt. He infuriated her to no end, but at the end of the day no one could make her laugh like _he_ did.

Although Mari missed him with every fiber in her being, she knew she had to move on and have fun with Adrien. Adrien was there, he wanted to be with her… and a few weeks ago, it would've been the best thing that had ever happened to her. Marinette realized that she was more infatuated with the idea of him, rather than the actual him. The truth was, she didn't really know him. She wanted to; she wanted some sense of normalcy in her crazy life… and if it turned out to be Adrien, well then she'd take it.

Tikki helped her dress, pulling the strings of her corset tighter. She was going on about how much fun Marinette would have at the ball tonight. Mari did want to have fun, she really did… things just weren't the same since Chat Noir had to go away. She was a bit confused, however, about why he had also stopped talking to Ladybug. He had said that he wouldn't be able to talk to Marinette, but why not Ladybug? Why not his partner, his most trusted friend? She just _didn't know._ It hurt her, it really did… but the best thing she could do was to move on. To have fun at the ball… to continue saving the world on her own.

Marinette applied some mascara, quietly chatting with Tikki. She put on some pink lipstick and had curled her hair earlier that night. Half of it was pinned back, but it was still down. She put on the mask, and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked different. It wasn't how she looked when she put on her Ladybug mask; she was still just Marinette.

* * *

Adrien had stood outside and had greeted the guests for quite some time. None of them were Marinette… he knew she was coming; she was his date, they were supposed to spend this night together. He was anxious, excited, and a bit sad. He was sure that Marinette would come, but there were still doubts in the very back of his mind. He was excited to dance with her, to hold her close, to be near her. He was sad… he was sad for leaving her. Every time he was Chat Noir, he did what he had to do without a word. He had a reason, of course, and that reason was Chloe. She had connections; she could _ruin_ Mari if she wanted to. All he was doing was trying to convince her to move on from both of his identities, and to leave Marinette alone.

Adrien was outside, leaning against the wall. Everyone was inside, dancing. It had been that way for ten minutes. The last of the guests had trickled inside, leaving him to wait outside for his Lady and any stragglers. If anyone passed by, he gave them a kind smile and then continued to watch. If she didn't show up, then he would know that tonight… tonight he couldn't.

And then she was there, rushing down the sidewalk and to the ball. His own personal princess. Her beauty astonished him; she looked stunning. Her dress was exquisite, along with everything about her. Adrien stood up straight, preparing to welcome her to his ball. She stopped in front of him, a bit out of breath.

"My lady," he smiled, ignoring the small look of confusion.

"Adrien," she gave him a small smile. "I'm so sorry for being late. I lost track of time…"

"It's fine," he waved her apology away. "The ball started only a few moments ago. I was waiting for you… I would've waited all night."

"All night? What if I didn't show up?" She frowned, a guilty look coloring her features.

"Then I'd continue to wait for you." He smiled at her, holding his arm out. She took it, looking up at him with her sapphire eyes.

"Why? Why me? Why not Chloe, or anyone in our class? Why _me_?" She questioned.

"Because I have feelings for you… feelings I thought you returned…" Adrien paused, stopping them in the hallway in front of the entrance to the grand hall.

"I do return them, I just… I have so much going on right now. I'm so tired, and I don't know about anything anymore…"

"Who hurt you, Marinette? Who makes you doubt everything?" He whispered, pulling her closer to him.

"Someone who is the complete opposite of you. You're such a good guy, Adrien, and I feel so much for you… but I feel something for someone else too."

Adrien nodded gloomily, looking at the door. "For one night, lady, can you pretend that I'm the only one you care for?" After a moment, she nodded. A radiant smile spread across her face as she pulled him to the door.

Adrien knew, of course, that Chat was the one who had hurt her. He had hurt her as both Marinette and Ladybug. But he was completely devoted to her. This girl who was his lucky charm. He was hers, and he didn't want to hide his love for her. Tonight was the night that she would know everything. He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her on the dancefloor. He wanted to be with her, regardless of being heroes, of his father… It made him sad, but how did you tell someone the reason you were sad was because you loved them? He needed her, and he needed her to need him. He could pretend, for one night that it was _Adrien_ that she wanted. Not Chat Noir. He could pretend that she wanted to be here with him, not in someone else's arms. If only she knew about him… if only she knew that she really did want to be with him…

"Do you know how to dance?" He asked, looking at all of the people in front of him.

"Of course," Marinette nodded. She was admiring the fashions, the ball, and the scene in front of her. If this was a fairy tale, Adrien was the prince and she was Cinderella.

"Would you like to dance with me?" He smile at her, taking a small bow. She raised an eyebrow at the familiarity of it all.

"Of course," she repeated, placing her hand in his.

He led her to the dance floor. He placed one hand on her waist and took her hand in his other. They began to sway at first, but then they were swirling around in tune with the music. They were gliding around the dance floor, as if they belonged there. As if they were the only two people in the entire room. Her eyes never left his as she allowed him to guide her around the room. They ignored the gazes of their classmates and focused on each other. They didn't stop when the song ended, or even when the next one did. In the middle of their third song, Adrien stopped dancing altogether. Marinette looked at him, confused.

"What're you doing?" She said, loud enough for just him to hear her.

"Come with me," he said, taking her hand. He pulled her off of the dancefloor and through door after door. Once they were in an empty room, Adrien locked the door behind them.

"Where are we? Why are we here?" Mari asked, searching his face.

"I have to tell you something, princess…" He said softly.

"So tell me…" she said, a bit apprehensive.

"I have a secret. I've been keeping it from you for so long… and for that, I am so, so sorry. You just… You once told me that this should be kept secret, but I can't keep this to myself anymore. Not when you're standing in front of me. Marinette, I'm Chat Noir."

Her eyes widened, and she gasped. "No," she whispered. "I don't believe you." His heart twisted at the sound of her voice.

"It's true. I can prove it, if you'd like."

"No," she shook her head. "Adrien, no."

"What's wrong? I thought… I mean, you just... I thought you'd be happy to know about me. I thought you'd be happy that I trusted you enough to tell you… That I love you…"

She felt like she couldn't breathe. He was both Adrien and Chat Noir. He was polite, humble, charming, and calm and collected as Adrien… but Chat Noir was flirty, boastful, and smug… Was Adrien simple a façade, or was Chat? She didn't know what was real or what wasn't. She didn't know what to do anymore, or what she felt. She looked at the door, eyes wide and frantic. She couldn't tell him about Ladybug. He couldn't know who she really was. He might have been reckless, but she certainly wasn't.

"Liar," She whispered, pushing past him and running out of the room.

* * *

 **Hello my lovelies. I apologize for not having this chapter up sooner, but last weekend I went through a breakup and I've been trying to just relax and not worry about anything. I apologize for any grammar mistakes; I edit everything myself so it's pretty tough. I apologize if all of my chapters are a bit short; sometime in the future I plan to rewrite this and make it longer and more detailed. I deleted my tumblr but I plan to make a new one to communicate with everyone through. If anyone has any name ideas, please let me know. As always, please review and let me know what you think of this story. I love all of my readers very much.**


	8. Chapter 8

Marinette slept at night thinking and actually believing that she was over him. Over a week's worth of text messages were right there, unreplied and unread. Curiosity didn't kill her this time, not even when she thought about how Adrien got her number.

But she woke up that morning, and suddenly she remembered something he had told her as Adrien. It wasn't anything in particular, just a normal conversation out of the countably finite ones they had. But it made her laugh, and it made her want to see him in the light he used to be as opposed to what he was to her now. She had the urge of going back to the way things were before. To return to school instead of doing all of her work online and through emails with her teachers.

As her phone lit up in front of her, she had to fight the urge to let warm tears wet her cheeks. She had to fight the urge of unlocking her phone and calling him up. She had to fight the urge of admitting to herself that she wasn't over him. Call her crazy for reacting the way she did… Tell her it was unfair of her to ignore him… but she was allowed to be hurt. Especially because he _knew_. He _knew_ she was ladybug. He _knew_ that she was infatuated with Adrien. He _knew_ and he didn't even hint at her.

"I hate him," she swore, looking at Tikki. And her hands clenched into fists, so tight that her nails dug deeply into the palm of her hands.

Tikki looked at her, a sad expression spreading across her face. "Don't say that, Marinette. Even you didn't want to tell him your identity. Can't you just be happy that you don't have to choose between them now?"

Marinette shook her head. "I hate him." She promised, her hands shaking so violently that she has to unclench them and grab onto her desk to steady herself.

"I hate him," she repeats. Once, twice, three, even four times. "I hate him."

But Tikki could see by the fire in her eyes that she didn't hate him. She could see by the marks made on her hands that his name was scrawled into her skin. Mari didn't hate him, but she wanted to. Oh, she wanted to.

* * *

Adrien was disappointed when Marinette didn't show up at school yet again. It was his fault. He knew it. He just couldn't bring himself to see her face to face… but he knew he would have to. He knew that he would have to tell her something… he would have to fix this. Ladybug hadn't been seen in the streets of Paris for a week and he was exhausted after having to fight akumas… especially since he couldn't purify them. He could, of course, get them out of a person… but they just moved on to another. He would've assumed that Ladybug would've put her duty as a hero over her heart… but he tended to see the best in people. She was really letting his reveal get to her, and he couldn't be half of a duo without her.

He couldn't help but feel like Marinette deserved better. She was perfect, as herself and as Ladybug. Marinette deserved someone who was actually worth something. As Chat Noir he was a superhero that had Ladybug's back… but what was he as Adrien? He was just Adrien, a model… that's all he was known for. Nobody, except for Nino, knew what his real life was like. What his family was like… And it wasn't as if anyone cared. And now, more than ever, he had to deal with Chloe. He tolerated her for his father, but lately all he wanted to do was be with Marinette.

He had expected Marinette to accept him, but instead she was like everyone else… they all pushed him away.

* * *

"Marinette, someone's here to see you…" Sabine pushed open the door, and looked at her distraught daughter. She didn't know what happened the night of the ball, but it was bad enough for her to be moping for over a week.

"Send them away. I don't want to see anyone," she mumbled, running a hand through her hair.

"You need to see people, darling. You can't be isolated for the rest of your life. You know I won't pressure you to talk to me about what happened, but I think you should try to move on from whatever it was."

Marinette took a deep breath, focusing on her desk. "It's not that simple."

"Of course not, love, but you should still try. At least see this person for a couple of minutes."

Marinette nodded. "Fine. But only for you…"

Sabine nodded, and closed the door. She walked downstairs and smiled at the worried boy in front of her. "She'll see you."

Adrien sighed in relief. "Thank you so much." Sabine nodded again, gesturing to the stairs.

"First door on your right."

Adrien nodded again, and took off up the stairs. His heart was pounding as he reached her bedroom door. He raised his hand to knock, taking a deep breath. He knocked once, before twisting the doorknob and pushing the door open. He glanced around the room, eyes finally settling on _her_.

She was staring at him, eyes wide.

"Why did you stop talking to me?" He asked, green eyes darting wildly across hers.

"You were my best friend," her lips began to tremble as she slowly stood up. Her stomach began to turn and she couldn't find air to breathe. What was she supposed to tell him? That he wasn't just a best friend to her? That her soul ached for him every time they weren't together?

"I didn't do anything wrong… I just told you what I've been wanting to tell you for so long…"

"Which one is the real you?" She asked, voice cracking.

"What do you mean?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you Adrien or are you Chat? Because you're so different as both of them…"

"I'm both… I'm Adrien and Chat." Adrien sighed, taking a step towards her. His heart hurt as she took a step away from him.

"You're not serious, are you? You can't be both. You're too different. One has to be a façade."

"It's not like that. As Chat I'm more free… mostly because I'm around you."

"You have got to be kidding me!" She snapped. "You can't just flirt with me! You were so uninterested in me as Adrien, but as soon as I'm Ladybug you're _in love with me_! I'm sorry that the real me, the girl behind the mask is so disappointing!"

"Marinette, that's not… that's not true at all…"

"Don't say that. You wouldn't be interested in me if you didn't know who I really was, and you know it. If I wasn't Ladybug, you wouldn't even look at me. I'm just another classmate to you. And that's all I ever would be."

"That's not true! I saw you! I wanted to be friends with you! You're not just a classmate to me… you said so yourself! We were best friends! The dynamic duo! And let's not forget about how you thought you were high and mighty as Ladybug. You were too good for me. I could never measure up to you. In your eyes, I was nothing but a flirt. But I only ever flirted with you! I've only ever seen you! As Ladybug and as Marinette. My _soul_ recognizes you. Even if I was too dense to realize it before. I know now how I really feel."

"Stop… There's nothing left to say… it's best that you just go…"

His eyes widened. "What? But I… I love…"

"Just go, Adrien! I can't do this anymore! I need time to think…"

Adrien nodded slowly, a hurt expression covering his face. "It's best that I leave then."

Marinette nodded, staring at him. And she let him go. Because what do you say when the person you love more than anything was not who you thought he was? What do you say when you realize how much a week has changed both of you? What do you say when you crave his touch more than anyone else's? What do you say when your heart's breaking, and all you want is for him to come back and hold you?

She didn't know.


	9. Chapter 9

Adrien Agreste walked into the dimly lit entrance of his giant house. Times like these, when both of his identities weren't needed by anyone, really reminded him of how alone he was. The last time his father had spoken to him was a month prior during a fashion show, and that was only to instruct him. After being rejected by not only his father, but his mother, friends and now Marinette, all Adrien wanted to do was disappear into a hole.

He had thought that, since she had liked him for so long, she would accept him. He had too much faith in Marinette. That much was evident. And he had almost told her that he _loved_ her. And he did love her.

Too much.

It wasn't enough. Not for her. Because Chat and Adrien were _too different_. He was the same. How could she not see that? How could she not know?

Adrien dropped his bag on the floor, not caring about where it landed. A maid would pick it up later anyways; it wasn't like he would get punished for it. It wasn't like he got punished for anything normal.

No, Adrien was punished for making friends, for looking at girls… for anything that a normal teenage boy did. He was meant to work for his father, keep a certain appearance, and make sure the tabloids said nothing bad about their golden boy.

He hated it.

He made his way up the excessively long staircase and into his dark bedroom, cursing his father for buying such a mansion. Especially when it was usually just Adrien home for the majority of the time.

He flipped on the lights, glancing around at all of his things. The giant computer, the giant bed, the giant television… He didn't need any of it. He didn't even _want_ any of it. He craved a home, a loving family, a _mother_. But it was impossible. He didn't blame _her_ for leaving; his father was cold, cruel… if he could, he would leave too. He was just too young. So he counted down the days until his eighteenth birthday. Just three years. It wouldn't be so bad.

He hated the silence. He craved noise. He craved affection. Everyone pushed him away. Nobody loved the actual him. Nobody at all. They all just loved the idea of him. The idea of Chat Noir or Adrien Agreste. He was worthless. Unlovable. Stupid.

He transformed into Chat Noir, visions of himself running around the city passing time flashing through his mind. He hesitated, turning to his computer. He checked the LadyBlog, just to see if Ladybug had been seen lately. She hadn't. They hadn't seen an akuma victim for quite some time, but that didn't stop him from running around as Chat.

Filled with heartache, he didn't notice the open window. He didn't notice the black butterfly flying into his miraculous.

A voice burst into his ears.

"Hello, Chat Noir. I am Hawkmoth. We finally meet… how unexpected your sadness is. And because of _Ladybug…_ She rejected you. She gave you up. Her most trusted friend and partner… All the praise of saving the city goes to _her_. Doesn't that remind you of something? The feeling of being used and unwanted? No one needs Chat Noir. But I can help you take revenge on all of those who have hurt you. My beloved Chat Noir, together we can crush Ladybug once and for all. We can get rid of her, and you can have the freedom you desire. I can make you stand out. You can force everyone to see you."

Chat felt disgusted. He was Chat Noir, a hero. He shouldn't be in this situation. He didn't understand what was going on. His head filled with rage as he began to think about all of the people who pushed him around. All of the people who hurt him.

"Your name is now Chat Blanc. Rise, and we can show the world who you really are."

A cruel smile spread across his face. "Yes, Hawkmoth."

Marinette arrived at school early for the first time in a long time. It was her first day back after the ball, and she had only gone because she wanted to see Adrien. She wanted to apologize for all of the things she had said. She was acting so stupid and so selfish.

She had idolized him for the longest time, and it wasn't fair to him. Especially when he was confessing his feelings for her.

Truthfully, she had begun to actually fall in love with him. It scared her. Not because love was a scary aspect of life; no that wasn't it at all. It was because falling in love with him required allowing him to break her if he wanted to. It required getting over her fears and getting over herself.

She had apologized to all of her friends all morning, offering them weak explanations for her absence. They didn't need to know the real reason. Not even Alya, although she did have her suspicions. Marinette just smiled and pretended everything was just great.

It wasn't. She felt so bad for hurting Adrien. She felt so, so bad. She wanted to be with him. She really did. She just needed the time…

She refused to consider the fact that it might've been too late. She refused to even acknowledge it. It couldn't be too late; Adrien was the one for her. She had always known it. Nothing had changed… except for everything. If she could see him… if she could explain everything to him…

Everything would be okay. It would all be just fine. She could wake up happy instead of miserable. And so would he.

So she waited. She sat outside, ignoring people. Waiting for him. When the bell rang, signaling class was about to begin, her heart sank. She went to class, and spent the day waiting for him to show up.

He didn't.

After school, she decided to walk to his house. Just in case.

It took her a while, but during the walk she planned out all that she would say.

 _Hi, I love you._

 _I'm sorry, I love you._

 _You don't have to be alone anymore. I love you. I'm here._

 _I was stupid._

 _Please forgive me, I can't be Ladybug without you._

Nothing was right. Nothing would be enough.

When she finally arrived at his door, she hesitated. What if he turned her away? Doubt covered her like a cloud on a rainy day. She pushed back all of her thoughts, and pressed the bell.

No answer.

She rang again.

"Yes?" It was the woman who answered before when Marinette had dropped off Adrien's birthday present.

"Is Adrien home?" Marinette asked, lacing her fingers together behind her back.

"No. He's out with a friend." The woman answered.

Marinette stiffly said goodbye, and began her long walk home.

Something fell behind her, startling her. She turned, facing someone… familiar.

It was Chat Noir, but it wasn't. He was in all white, looking very sinister. He slinked closer to her, eventually stopping to lean against the light post next to her. He stared down at her, a smug grin on his face.

"Hello, little princess."

 ** _So so so so sorry for such a long wait. I was studying for SAT's but now that that's over, I'll be updating frequently. I have another chapter written that will be posted tomorrow. It's a long one._** ** _J_**


	10. Chapter 10

"Hello, little princess," Chat Blanc smiled, staring down at the girl in front of him.

"Chat…?" The girl replied, eyes wide. "Chat, why are you dressed like this?"

"What do you mean?" He purred, eyes narrowing.

"You're in all white… You don't look like yourself…" The girl replied, taking a nervous step back.

This was good. He was good at intimidation; he had spent the past few days learning what scared people and what buttons to push. Chat didn't remember much about who he was _before_ , but he could remember her. Accompanying his memory of her face came the feeling of rejection and resentment… and along with the negative was the feeling of love and hope. He longed to feel the love and hope, and he had hoped that seeing her would bring them back from the depths of his suppressed mind. Seeing her, however, just brought up feelings of gloom and heartache. He wasn't quite sure how to process the way she was looking at him; so fearful, and yet curious.

She could see the change in him.

The girl pursed her lips, continuing to stare him down. He smiled at her again, memorizing her every detail. "What's your name?" He asked, taking a step towards her.

The girl frowned. "Y-you don't remember me? It's me, Marinette…"

And then it came back in flashes.

The girl who sat behind him in class. The girl who had liked him… had idolized him. The girl who had been so _excruciatingly shy_ around him. Flirting with her as both Chat Noir and as Adrien. The ball. The secret glances. Her pushing him away.

His Lady. His princess.

The part of him that was Adrien began to awake slightly, pushing against the darkness occupying his mind. The part of him that was Chat Blanc relished in his freedom, in his glorious power. Chat Blanc was stronger, and maintained dominance during the fraction of a second that Adrien had fought back.

"Marinette," he purred again, attempting to close the distance between them.

He could nearly taste the fear radiating off of her, its sweet scent clouding his mind.

"Oh god," she breathed. "What happened to you?"

"I embraced the darkness that resided inside of me… and it _freed me._ " He chuckled. "My Lady, if only you could feel this _bliss._ " An idea crossed his mind. "You could join me. Become like me. _Let go of everything._ "

Marinette shook her head. "I can't. I _won't._ Paris _needs_ me… Paris needs _you._ " Her eyes began to water, causing him to feel a sharp pang of disappointment.

"You don't owe these people _anything._ Nothing at all. You don't need to carry their burdens." He attempted to persuade her.

"And what?" She barked out a harsh laugh. "Become a villain?"

He frowned. "I'm not a villain. I'm free. Free from my stupid feelings for you. Free from my father. From Chat Noir." He looked at her, calculating. This was his Lady… it would be so easy to just… take her miraculous, find Hawkmoth, and live free forever.

"You're not free… you're… akumatized. You're becoming a monster… I can _help_ you, Chat, if you'd let me." Marinette said, reaching out to him.

Adrien stirred inside of him, but Chat Blanc easily resisted him once again. A sinister smile spread across his face. "Oh, princess, I don't need your help."

"Chat… Please stop…" She murmured, staring up at him.

Chat moved forward, his claws extended. "I'm sorry, my lady."

She stared at him for a moment before her instincts kicked in. She turned to run, but he grabbed her arm. His claws cut through the dark fabric of her jacket, drawing blood.

His mind blanked for a moment as he stared at what he'd done. He'd hurt her… and it felt _so good_.

He felt disgusted for a second, before digging his claws deeper into her arm. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at him in shock. He'd actually hurt her…

"I once loved you," he said softly, looking at her with as much emotion as Marinette had seen from him since he was… normal. "I waited up at night, just in case you needed me. I've always tried to been supportive of you. I thought that maybe I'd get your love and affection in return… but when I came clean to you? When I finally relied on you? You disappeared. It was the worst feeling, Lady. You made me feel so special, and then you just left me hanging."

"Chat, I-I'm sorry!" Marinette managed to sob, trying hard to ignore the pain in her arm.

"I trusted you!" He shouted, losing his calm demeanor for the first time. "I trusted you," he repeated, gentler this time. He retracted his claws, but kept his grip on her. He gazed lovingly at the scarlet fluid gushing from her arm. "You know, it too me until recently to realize that I wasn't in love with you. It was just the feeling. The feeling of having something I wanted, but never needed… The idea of being a part of something special. But you… you've always pushed me down. We were supposed to be a team, but you treated me like I was a lousy sidekick. You had no respect for me, and I treated you like you were the sun."

"I didn't realize," Marinette said softly, gazing up at him. "I'm so, so sorry…"

"Sorry?" He chuckled darkly, ignoring the sound of Hawkmoth giving him instructions. He didn't care. He needed to tell Marinette…

"Please," she whispered suddenly, the energy drained from her. "Please know that all I've ever wanted for you is happiness. Please… promise me you'll find happy…" Her voice cracked.

 _"Chat Blanc, now is the time. Her miraculous… grab it. It's the earrings."_ The voice said.

"I don't need your pity," Chat sneered, gazing at the earrings. "I need you out of the way."

She raised her eyebrows, confused. Before she could speak, she was shoved hard against a building behind her. She winced at the pain as her head made a loud _crack_. She became overwhelmingly dizzy, exhausted… she was so tired of fighting, but she was in no position to fight. And she wouldn't fight. Not him. She would never be able to fight him.

"Sleep," Chat murmured softly, holding her tightly against him.

And even though Marinette knew that it wasn't the right thing to do, she gave into the exhaustion that weighed down on her.

….

When Marinette woke up, she was back in her bed. She had no recollection of getting home, of changing into her pajamas, and climbing into bed.

"Tikki, I had the weirdest dream," she said, sitting up. Her head was pounding and her arm hurt like crazy. She waited for Tikki's cheerful voice, and frowned after not hearing a response. "Tikki?" She repeated, pushing her hair back from her face.

She felt different. She felt… average. She ached both physically and emotionally. She fought against her pulsing head, trying to remember what happened before she had fallen asleep.

And there it was. Chat Blanc. The sinister doppelganger of her beloved partner and friend.

Her hands flew to her ears, but her studs were gone. _Tikki_ was gone… _Ladybug was gone._

She was not a hero anymore. She was just Marinette. So extremely average that it pained her.

Her heart broke even further, along with her mind and soul.

A sob escaped her lips as she searched her bed frantically. She _knew_ what happened to her miraculous, but she refused to believe it. It couldn't be true… It couldn't have happened…

She had never felt so very alone before.

She had never felt so broken before.

She sat back in her bed, scanning the room. She was alone. She was sure of that.

A piece of red paper on her nightstand caught her eye. She picked it up and unfolded it. It was a letter.

 _My Dearest Marinette,_

 _I have realized as of late that the world is a gloriously beautiful place, and it is the people inside of it that make it ugly. Before you make a decision about whether or not you want to be with me, I need you to know a few things._

 _You believe yourself to be just a normal girl, but you're the girl of my dreams. I don't care whether you're Marinette or Ladybug. I have feelings for you regardless. I'm not ready to lose you. I don't think I will ever be ready to let you go. When I first met you, I felt this deep connection. That connection has only grown stronger over time._

 _Marinette, you're going to break my heart, and I'd let you. You're my sun, my moon, and all of the stars in my sky. If you wanted to shatter me, I would gladly let you._

 _You don't know this, but you have been the one truly good thing in my life for quite some time now. You're what keeps me going every single day._

 _I want you to pick me. I want you to get to know who I really am. I know you're upset about me being Chat Noir, but I'm hoping that you'll let that go eventually._

 _You have all of my heart, and nothing will change that._

 _I may be hurt now, but I'm willing to let all of this go and be with you. If you'd give me a chance, we could have a future together._

 _I'm sorry for everything,_

 _Adrien._

Marinette read the letter over and over again, her heart shattering more each time.

She didn't know how to fix this. She didn't know if she could.


	11. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE

**Hello! I just wanted to write a quick note apologizing for not updating for months, but I wanted to say that I'm going to rewrite this story.**

 **Life happened, and I really miss this.**

 **I was rereading it and I saw so many flaws and I just had so many new and better ideas. SOOOOOO I'm going to rewrite it so it doesn't have as many plot holes. I'm also going to be uploading the first chapter of my new story The Best Thing (Miraculous AU) very very soon so I hope that all of you will read the new Masquerade and The Best Thing.**

 **I appreciate all of the love and support from each and every one of you, but I want to give everyone who even clicked on the link the best story that I can give them. In order to do that I need to rewrite this story.**

 **Once again thank you so much, and I hope to be hearing from all of you very soon.**


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